Artist is seeking to prove that many songs share similar chords and melodies

Robin Thicke performed a medley of songs by artists including U2, Bob Marley and The Beatles as the first day of the ‘Blurred Lines’ trial began.

Gaye’s estate and Thicke are engaged in a legal battle with Gaye’s children accusing Thicke’s transatlantic Number One hit ‘Blurred Lines’ of ripping off ‘Got To Give It Up’, a 1977 single by the late soul singer.

Thicke was the first witness to take to the stand in Los Angeles yesterday (February 25) and is reported to have performed a number of songs in the court room as evidence that many songs share similar chords and melodies without necessarily copying one another.

The Hollywood Reporter states that Thicke sang sections of ‘With Or Without You’ by U2, The Beatles’ ‘Let It Be’, Bob Marley’s ‘No Woman, No Cry’ and ‘Man In The Mirror’ by Michael Jackson as part of his legal teams efforts to prove that ‘Blurred Lines’ is not improperly derived from Marvin Gaye’s ‘Got To Give It Up’.

Thicke’s attorney Howard King had the singer compare the line “I’m gonna take a good girl” from ‘Blurred Lines’ to “I used to go out to parties” from Gaye’s song. They claim that ‘Blurred Lines’ uses only an E-major and an A-major chord, whereas Marvin Gaye’s uses eight chords.

The trial is expected to run for eight days and include testimony from Williams, TI (aka Clifford Harris Jr., who is a plaintiff) and Thicke’s ex-wife Paula Patton.